Evaluate narratives based

on how the author

developed the element:
-theme
EN6RC-Ii2.24.4
 Let’s Try This
Picture Prediction
Look at the picture below then answer the
following questions.
 What do you think are the red hen, the
duck, the cat, and the dog talking about?
Do you think they agree with each other?
 What do you think is the narrative going
to be about?
Sharing One’s Experience
Answer the following questions then share your answers
to the class.
 Have you experienced asking someone to help you carry
out a task?
 Did he/she help you? How? If not, why?
 How does it feel to be turned down by your friends after
asking them a request or favor? Explain your answer.

Do you know that the red hen (in the narrative you are
about to read) was refused by her friends when she had
asked them to do some favors? Let’s find out.
 Let’s Read and Learn
Read the following narrative then answer the questions
that follow
The Red Hen and Her Friends
Once, there lived a hen with her five chicks. The hen was as
red as beetroot. She had three friends: a duck, a cat and a
dog. They all lived happily. One day, the red hen stumbled
on to a wheat seed. “Hey, who among you wish to plant
this seed?" she asked. “Not me, friend" refused the duck.
“Nor can I." declined the cat. “Count me not." the dog
turned his back. “All right. I will do it then by myself," said
the hen.

What do you think would the red hen do?

Why do you think so?
 She planted the seed and watered it. Alas! It grew
quickly to yield the brownish wheat. “Hi! There,
who among you wish to harvest the wheat?" asked
the red hen.
“Not me, friend," the duck sounded bored.
“Nor can I." shrugged the cat.
“Count me not!" avoided the dog.
“If so, I will do it by myself," the red hen spoke up
as she labored all day along. By evening she had
two gunny bags full of wheat.
What did the red hen ask her friends to do? Did they
help her?
What are the clues that tell you that the red hen’s
friends did not help her?
“Hello pal! Who among you will lend me a hand
to grind this wheat? She queried. All the three
refused as usual. "I will see that I grind this by
myself. I will make flour, knead dough and bake
bread!" she announced. The next day she baked
delicious bread.
What did the red hen ask her friends to do? Did
they help her?
What did the red hen do all by herself?
 “Howdy, who among you wish to eat this
bread?" she asked merrily. “I want to!"
answered the duck, smacking her lips. “Me
too!" said the cat with his mouth watering.
“Yummy, smells good," spoke up the dog,
shuffling his feet eagerly.
What did the red hen ask her friends to do?
What was the reaction of the duck, the cat, and the
dog?
What do you think will be the response of the red hen to
 “None of you can have a bite! I slaved in the
field and at home. Only my children and I are
entitled to eat this bread!" So saying, the red
hen fed her chicks and ate a sumptuous meal
that day.

What was the response of the red hen to her friends?

Did she let them have a bite of the bread? Can you
identify the clues that help you figure out the red
hen’s response?
Task 1. Questions for Discussion
1. Who are the characters in the
story?
2. What is the setting of the story
3. What did the red hen ask her friends
to help her with?
4. What did the three animals tell the
red hen when she asked them to help
her?
Task 1. Questions for Discussion
5. What specific tasks did the red hen
do in the story?
5. When did the red hen’s friends
finally want to help her? Why?
6. Why didn’t the red hen let them eat
the bread?
7. What is the theme of the story?
8. What is the moral of the story?
 Let’s Study This
UNDERSTANDING NARRATIVE
A narrative refers to a story or an account of
something, dealing with sequences of events
and experiences, though not necessarily in
strict order. It may be actual or fictional and
can be expressed orally or in writing. (Harris
and Hodges, eds, 1995).
A narrative contains several elements, such as
characterization, plot and setting, that all work
together to construct the narrative’s theme.
 UNDERSTANDING THEME
Narratives always contain at least one theme.
Single themes can build on one another to convey
a larger message, or a work may stick to one key
theme.
The theme is the central message or idea of a
narrative. It tells the reader what the literary
piece is all about. It is expressed through what
the characters say, do and think, and through the
actions that take place within the story. The
theme is also revealed in how the plot and setting
of the narrative are constructed and presented.
 UNDERSTANDING THEME
By telling the reader what the story is about,
the theme expresses what ideas or issues are
raised within the story. Though a longer
narrative, like a novel, might deal with several
themes at once, most narratives contain one
theme.
Examples of themes include friendship, family,
love, respect for others, helping one another,
world peace, equality, patriotism and
nationalism, loyalty, cooperation,
determination to succeed, etc.
 EVALUATING THE STORY'S END
The way a narrative ends can provide key
insights into the author's message. If something
bad happens to a character, the author may be
trying to convey that the character made the
wrong choices or that the world is unfair. In
some narratives, the end of the story attempts
to sum up the theme or provide additional clues
to the story's point, so pay careful attention to
any surprises in the ending or any insight the
characters themselves offer.
The way Let’s Do More

Task 2. Let’s Read Aloud

Read the narrative “The Red Hen and Her
Friends” aloud in the class. Read it aloud again
- this time, with your partner, then with your
groupmates.
Task 3. Pair and Share
Answer the following questions in each column in
the table. Write your answer inside the box. Then,
choose your partner and discuss your answers with
each other. Share your common answers to the
 Title of the Narrative: The Red Hen and Her Friends
What have you What is your What message do
learned about the reaction about the you think the
narrative? narrative? author tried to
convey in this
narrative?
(theme)
 Let’s Test Ourselves
Task 4. Read and Analyze
Read the following narratives then answer the
questions that follow.
Narrative 1:
Long ago in a little town in the East, there lived a couple. They lived
in a modest house together with their son and the father of the
husband. For a while, the old man lived happily with his son, his
daughter-in-law and his grandson.
But when he grew very old, he became very feeble. Every time he
ate at the table, he always broke a plate because his hands trembled so
much. The old man’s awkwardness soon made his son angry, and one
day he made a wooden plate for his father. The poor old man had to eat
all his food on his wooden plate.
 When the grandson noticed what his father had done, he
took some tools and went down under the house. The he
took a piece of board and began to carve it. His father saw
him and said, “What are you doing son?” The boy replied to
him, “Father, I am making wooden plates for you and my
mother when you are old.”
As the son uttered these words, tears gushed from the
father’s eyes. From that time on, the old man was allowed to
eat at the table with the rest of the family. He was no longer
made to eat from a wooden plate
1. What would happen if the man did not change his attitude towards his
own father, the old man?
A. He would have a peaceful and orderly life.
B. He would have lived happily and abundantly.
C. His own son would also be afraid of the old man.
D. His own son would be angry with him.
2. What human right is highlighted in the last two sentences of the
selection?
A. Right to acquire property
B. Right to be respected
C. Right to education
D. Right to vote
3. What is the theme of the narrative?
A. Treat others as you would wish them to treat you
B. Presence of mind does better than harm
C. The old man and the weak never deserve good treatment
 Narrative 2:

A traveler once lost his way in a desert. The sun was so hot. He
was very tired and thirsty. Soon, he came to an oasis. An oasis is a
low fertile place in the desert where there is water.
The weary traveler exclaimed, “I guess I’m too lucky.” As the
traveler, came to the water, he saw lying upon the bank, a sack half
filled with something.
“Oh, God!” he exclaimed as he knelt beside the sack, opening it
with his both hands. “May there be some fruits or coconuts inside
so that I may have something to eat as well as water to drink.” With
his thought, he took his knife and hurriedly cut the sack. When he
saw what’s inside, he said in a sad, disappointed way, “How poor I
am. It’s only diamonds!”
 Narrative 2:

1. How did the traveler feel when he lost his way in a desert?
A. Happy and contented C. Tired and hungry
B. Afraid and worried D. Surprised and excited
2. What is the appropriate title for the narrative?
A. The Traveler and the Oasis B. Only Diamonds
C. The Legend of Desert D. The Poor Man in the Desert
3. What is the theme of the narrative?
A. Fruits are none existent in the desert
B. Priority of man depends upon his needs
C. A traveler can never appreciate diamonds
D. Disappointment is part of life
 Let’s Enrich Ourselves

Task 5. The Search for the Narratives

Complete the table below by writing down the titles of the five narratives
that you have read in the left column and by identifying the theme in
each narrative in the right column.
Title of the Narrative Theme